1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a process of reducing the accumulation of sugar in the tubers of potato plants.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
It is an object of the invention to effect a reduction in the amount of sucrose and/or free sugars derived from sucrose in potato tubers and/or one or more of sucrose, glucose or fructose formed from starch in potato tubers.
It has been suggested that sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) (EC2.3.1.14) regulates the synthesis of sucrose in the leaves of higher plants (Stitt, N., Quick, P., Physiologia Plantarum 77 633-641, 1989) and that the enzyme occurs in tissues which synthesise sucrose (Stitt, M., Kaber, S., and Kerr, P., The Biochemistry of Plants 10 327-409, 1987, Academic Press).
Sucrose accumulates in potato tubers stored at low temperatures. Such accumulation of sugars at low temperature presents a significant problem to processors of potatoes. For example, producers of crisps and chips (french fries) have found that the presence of increased sugar tends to cause undue browning of the products during the frying process.